Brassiere construction



y 1950 P. z. GORDON 2,506,639

BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION ,0 Filed Feb. 14. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG].

ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 9, 1950 P. z. GORDON BRASSIEIRE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 14. 1947 m N N T O .Q R N D 0 W R T N O T I G A Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION Pauline Z. Gordon, New York, N, Y. Application February 14, 1947, Serial No. 728,544

. 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to bras siere constructions. It pertains particularly to a relatively light brassiere for either the youthful or the mature figure. Brassires embodying my invention can be brief in extent and light in weight and yet perform with satisfaction their intended functions.

Heretofore various brassieres have been proposed, some resembling in certain superficial respects the brassieres of my present invention, for accomplishing the separation and support which my invention makes possible. These prior brassieres have suffered various disadvantages such as being uncomfortable to wear, detrimental to normal blood circulation, difficult to launder, and for other well-known reasons. I have devised a practicable construction which gives the desired results with comfort and lasting satisfaction.

It is an object of my invention to provide a brassiere of the character described having to a notable extent the characteristics and capabilities set forth. Another object is the provision of a fashionable brassire construction which may feasibly be manufactured, which is sufficiently light in weight and brief in extent to be appealing to the majority of customers, and yet which accomplishes the degree of separation and support desired. A further object is the provision of a brassiere having a pair of breast-supporting and defining cups along with novel reinforcing means for maintaining the cups in place. A still further object is the provision of a brassiere construction which will at all times maintain the desired conditions of separation, support, and modesty and which simultaneously, by virtue of an ingenious reinforcement, accomplishes its objectives with a minimum of the discomforts and annoyances which have heretofore been found in brassieres intended for similar purposes. Other objects will be in part pointed out as the description proceeds and will in part become apparent therefrom.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structures to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the accompanying claim.

In this specification and the accompanying drawings, I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention and suggested various modifications thereof; but it is to be understood that these are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention, but on the contrary are given for purposes of illustration in order that oth rs skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a brassire embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the brassiere shown as it might appear on a model;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail with parts removed;-

Figure 4 is a sectional view through a reinforcement in the cup and showing a manufacturing detail; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the lines 5 -5 of Figure 3.

, The brassiere illustrated comprises a pair of breast cups 2G and 22 connected together by a holding means consisting, in the illustrative form, of a center strap 24. A side strap 26 is attached to the rear side portions of cup 20 and v a side strap 28 is attached to the rear side portions of cup '22. Straps 26 and 28 are shown provided with a conventional rear fastening strap 39; A shoulder strap 32 is attached at its front end to the upper portion of cup 20 and is sewed at its rear end to an intermediate point on side strap 26. A shoulder strap 34 is attached at its front end to the upper portion of cup 22 and is sewed at its rear end to an intermediate point on side strap 28. Straps 32 and 34 may be rendered adjustable in any of various known manners. The breast cups are concavely shaped as is conventional.

Each of the breast cups is formed with an arcuate edge which, when in use, extends from a point on the upper inside breast periphery above the level of the nipple downwardly and laterally outwardly alon the breast base line; each edge is provided with an arcuate reinforcement, as generally indicated at $6 for cup 29 and 38 for cup 22. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 these reinforcements consist essentially of a contour strip 40 and a bias-cut satin cover #32. The contour strip is shaped as shown in Figure 3 and is made, in the illustrative embodiment, of sheet canvas bearing a polyvinyl plastic coating. The exact material used in forming this strip is not im-- portant so long as it be nonstretchable, washable, nonshrinkable and extremely pliant and supple. There should be suflicient substance to the contour strip that it be able to anchor the cup in place as described; a mere heavy seam or rolled edge on the cup is not wholly satisfactory for my purposes. When the strip is tightly bound, as by the satin cover 42 (see Figure 4), it remains fully pliant-almost limpwith respect to such flexing as occurs normal to the plane of the strip as viewed in Figure 3. But from its intractile nature and strip-like structure it resists bending in its own plane such as would cause it to lose its arcuate shape. Thus, when on the body, it follows and hugs the diaphragm as closely as a second skin through its inherent pliancy. And it is cut arcuately to follow the base line of the breast so that from its very nature, when held flat in face-to-face contact with the relatively firm diaphragm, it resists any fiexure such as would permit it to stray from this arcuate base line. Hence, the molded breast cup which it anchors is enabled to shape and support the yieldable substance of the breast with lasting comfort and satisfaction.

It will be appreciated that a properly fitted brassiere embodying the invention will conform quite accurately to the molded contours of the wearer and that, when so fitted, the brassiere can perience substantially no shifting or slipping with respect to the relatively firm diaphragm of the wearer and which inherently shapes the relatively softer substance of the breasts into the desired contours. The nature of the invention is such as to have considerable versatility in 'giving'a garmeht which'can truly be fitted with precision, for the garment is reduced to its minimum essential parts.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a brassiere made inaccordance with the presentinvention is well adapted to attain the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth and to be economically manufactured since the whole combination is suited to common production methods and is susceptible ma wide latitude of variations as may be desirable in adapting the invention to diiferent applications.

1 As various embodiments maybe made of the above invention and as changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A brassiere comprising a pair of breast receiving cups, a center strap between the cups connecting the same, the upper edge of said strap coinciding with the upper line of each breast cup adjacent the strap, the lower edge of said strap extending between the lower edges of the breast cups and the center thereof, a pair of side straps secured to the outer margin of each cup and extending around the back of the wearer for securement thereat, and shoulder straps secured to 'the top of each cup and side strap for supporting the garment from above on the wearer, a supple, intractile, and arcuate reinforcement strip disposed within the bottom edge of each cup, and. extending along the inner and lower edge thereof from a point adjacent the upper edge. of the IREFEBENCESICITED g I The following references of recordiin the f f' h te 1 UNITED STATES; PATENTS Number Name Date 1,920,705 Madsen Aug.'1, 1933 2,202,058 Y Malnick May 28, 1940 2,424,740 Chamberlain et a1." July 29, 1947 2,426,959 Warner Sept. 2,1947 

